Baseball Pitcher & Player of the Week – No. 4

Ferrell and Greiwe receive NAIA's baseball weekly honors

April 09, 2013

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By Alan Grosbach, Manager of Communications and Sports Information

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Brian Ferrell of Bethel (Tenn.) has been named the NAIA National Baseball Player of the Week and Drew Greiwe of Central Methodist (Mo.) has been tabbed National Pitcher of the Week, the national office announced Tuesday. Ferrell and Grewie were selected based on their performances from April 1 – 7 and were chosen out of a pool of conference/independent/unaffiliated group winners.

Ferrell, a senior from Jackson, Tenn., hit .706 (12-of-17) with three doubles, two home runs, a triple and eight RBI as he led the Wildcats to a perfect 4-0 week, including a sweep of TranSouth Athletic Conference rival Martin Methodist (Tenn.) April 5 – 6. Ferrell, who recorded a 1.353 slugging percentage over the four games, was also 3-for-3 in steals and tallied 11 runs scored.

Ferrell opened the week with his second multi-extra base hit performance of the season, recording two doubles in a 3-for-4 effort against Brescia (Ky.) on April 1. In Bethel’s series opener against Martin Methodist on April 5, he played a key role in the Wildcats’ seven-run fourth inning with a two-strike, two-run single to give Bethel at the time a 4-1 lead. The next day, the senior outfielder recorded his second home run of the season in the bottom of first en route to a second of three-straight days with three runs scored. He capped the week by going 4-for-5 – a double shy of the cycle – with another RBI and three runs scored as Bethel edged Martin Methodist, 10-9, in extra innings.

Ferrell, who leads the team in batting average (.387 – minimum 70 at-bats), RBI (31) and stolen bases (16), is 25th in the NAIA in total bases per game (2.24).

Greiwe, a native of Macon, Mo., allowed zero runs on zero hits while not surrendering a walk to record Central Methodist’s first-ever prefect game in the Eagles’ 7-0 win over Graceland (Iowa) on April 6. The senior left-hander struck out nine over seven innings en route to his 12th career win, which ties him for ninth on the team’s all-time wins list. Greiwe (5-0), who improved his earned run average to a team leading 2.31 (minimum 20 innings pitched), threw 82 total pitches in the contest, including 17 first-pitch strikes.

On the season, Greiwe ranks 13th in hits allowed per nine innings (5.54) and 19th in opponent batting average (0.183). He leads the Eagles with 39 innings pitched and is No. 2 with 39 strikeouts.

For a complete listing of all the national statistical leaders, click here.

The next NAIA Baseball Pitcher and Player of the Week announcement will be on April 16.